Holy Invasion Of Privacy, Badman!

Released in Japan in 2007 and in all other regions two years later, Holy Invasion Of Privacy, Badman! for the PSP is a quirky variation on the tower defence genre. Virtually unknown outside of Japan, Badman has risen to the status of cult classic in other regions, and there is a very good reason for that: this game is addictive. Addictive as hell.

Gameplay has you taking control of an evil god-like being, overlooking the contruction and maintenance of a dungeon which is repeatedly attacked by heroes. You are given a blank slate of hundreds of concrete blocks to mine away to, ideally, create a maze that the heroes will not be able to complete. Being given free reign over the shape of your dungeon allows for a lot of creativity.

While mining, you will come across different types of blocks, some of which spawn blob or fireball minions. These minions are the most basic in the game, but at least provide some protection from your attackers. The minions are where the complexity of the game comes into play, however, as this opens up a window into an entire ecosystem that you have to manage. As a blob or fireball moves around the dungeon, it will absorb energy from certain blocks and spit that energy out into other blocks. Once a single block has enough energy, it will change colour slightly, and will spawn a different minion, such as an Omnom (a small bug), a Lizardman, or even a dragon depending on the amount of energy in the block and which type of minion provided that block with energy. You also have to think carefully about the placement of these minions, as some, like the dragon, will attack any others and compromise the safety of your dungeon.

The main goal of the game is to protect the demon lord from being kidnapped by various attackers. Before a hero enters the dungeon, you are allowed to place the demon lord anywhere you please, giving the game another element of strategy. However, if your demon lord does get kidnapped and the heroes manage to carry him back to the entrance to your dungeon, it's game over for you, and back to the beginning.

The game is scored on how quickly you kill each hero, and the minions used to do so. You are given a point score and a rank, allowing for some arcade style gameplay that makes the game very easy to pick up and play.

Another great aspect of Badman is the humour present in the game. Filled with puns and pop culture references, the game will keep you entertained even during the tutorial. Take the title for instance. It's so awesome that I didn't even have to attempt to come up with a witty title for this blog post.

Holy Invasion Of Privacy, Badman! is certainly worth picking up if you can find it, as every time you play it will leave you wanting more. It'll breathe some life into your probably neglected PSP.